1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector with mating connector housings equipped with a detector for detecting an interfitting condition of the connector housings.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional connector that is equipped with a detecting member for detecting an interfitting condition of male/female connector housings is described in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. (Hei)1-166977, and also is shown in FIG. 17 herein. This known connector includes a male housing 1 and a female housing 2. The male housing 1 has a lock area 3, and the female housing 2 is equipped with a lock arm 4 can be engaged with the lock area 3 on the male housing 1 so that the housings 1 and 2 can be mutually interfitted. The female housing 2 also has a pair of engaging arms 5 that can be crimped into engagement with the lock arm 4 from the right and left. Additionally, a detecting member 6 is mounted from the back of the female housing 2, and is movable back and forth along the lock arm 4. Engaging protrusions 7 are provided on the left and right side faces of the lock arm 4, as shown in FIG. 18. The protrusions 7 are disposed to strike against the tip of the engaging arm 5 to control the forward movement of the detecting member 6 before interfitting. The lock arm 4 also is formed with engaging areas that protrude from the left and the right of the lock arm 4.
The lock arm deflects during the interfitting of the housings 1 and 2, and as a result, the engaging areas 8 are displaced to a position that allows interference with the detecting member 6. Hence, forward movement of the detecting member 6 during the course of interfitting is regulated. On the other hand, a releasing arm 9 protrudes from the male housing 1, as shown in FIG. 17. The releasing arm 9 engages in the engaging arm 5 on the female housing 2 during the interfitting of the housings 1 and 2. The releasing arm 9 then is deflected and the abutted condition against the engaging protrusion 7 of engaging arm 5 is released. When the housings 1 and 2 reach a normal interfitting state, the engaging area 8 of returned lock arm 4 is disposed in a non-interfering position with the detecting member 6, and then further movement of detecting member 6 is permitted.
Movement of the detecting member 6 is released only when both of the housings 1 and 2 are interfitted properly. Thus, detection of whether or not the both housings 1 and 2 have come to a normal interfitting condition can be achieved by checking the movement of the detecting member 6.
The base end of the releasing arm 9 is connected with the bottom end face of the recess in the male housing 1 and the free end is cantilevered forward along an interfitting direction. Accordingly, there is a problem of strength. For instance, a foreign object may enter into the male housing 1 before the male and female housings 1 and 2 interfit properly. The foreign object may interfere with the releasing arm 9. As a result, there has been a possible malfunction, such as deformation of the releasing arm 9 or, as this case may be, any other occurrence of damage.
The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned circumstances, with the objective for enhancing the strength of the releasing area.
The invention is directed to a connector comprising first and second connector housings that are mutually interfittable A lock arm is provided on the first connector housing and allows an elastic deformation in a deflective space when both connector housings are in the process of interfitting. However, the lock arm will undergo an elastic return for engaging with the second connector housing to maintain the interfitting condition of the connector housings when the connector housings came to a normal or complete interfitting condition. More particularly, the lock arm will move between a standby position that is withdrawn from the deflective space and a detecting position where the lock arm enters into the deflective space.
A detector is mounted for restraining the movable action of the lock arm into the deflective space in the course of interfitting. The detector comprises at least one deflective engaging arm that restrains movement of the detector from a standby position to a detecting position at least in a condition when the connector housings are separated. More particularly, the deflective engaging arm functions by engaging an engaging area on the first connector housing. At least one releasing area is provided on the second connector housing and extends along the interfitting direction of the connector housings. The releasing area deflectively deforms the engaging arm to release the engaging condition of the engaging area with the engaging arm. The releasing area is connected with a wall face of the second connector housing along the interfitting direction.
The connector may comprise a pair of the engaging arms, a pair of the engaging areas, and a pair of the releasing areas.
The engaging arms, the engaging areas and the releasing areas are disposed to provide a time difference in which the engaging arms are released from the respective engaging areas in an interfitting process of the connector housings. The time difference is achieved by having engaging faces of the respective releasing areas or the engaging arms displaced along the interfitting direction.
The second connector housing may include a guiding rib that allows an interfitting action to be guided in sliding contact with the first connector housing during the interfitting of the connector housings. The guiding rib extends along the interfitting direction, and the releasing area is connected with the guiding rib along the interfitting direction.
The detector may be mounted at a standby position with the first and second connector housings spaced apart. In this position, the engaging arm engages with the engaging area. Thus, movement of the detector from the standby position to the detecting position is regulated. The connector housings then can be advanced toward an interfitted condition. This movement causes the lock arm to deform elastically and to deflect into the deflective space for regulating movement of the detector to the detecting position. When both connector housings come to a normal and complete interfitting condition, the lock arm returns and then the deflective space is released. Until this time an interval with the releasing area engages and then deflects the engaging arm. The engaging condition with the engaging area has been released. Thus, the detector can be moved to the detecting position. In this way, the status of movement of detector allows the interfitted condition of both connector housings to be detected.
The released area is connected along an interfitted direction to the wall face of second connector housing. Thus, the strength can also be made higher.
The engaging arms and the engaging areas may be staggered or offset longitudinally to achieve contact at different times during the interfitting process. In such a way, the timing can be shifted to reduce the power necessary for deflecting the engaging arm in the course of interfitting the connector housings. Accordingly, an abrupt increase in interfitting power can be prevented, thereby leading to a smooth interfitting operation, compared with the case of simultaneous release of both engaging arms.
Connection of the releasing area is made along the interfitting direction of guiding rib. Therefore, the strength of releasing area can further be enhanced.